Car-coupling



PATENT UFFICE.

JEROME S. OORNISH, OF HARRODSBURG, KENTUCKY.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 534,710, dated February 26, 1895.

Application filed December 18, 1894- serial N0. 532,202- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JEROME S. OORNIsH, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Harrodsburg, in the county of Mercer and State of Kentucky, have invented certain new and useful. Improvements in Car-Couplers; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in barbed link automatic car couplers, and the novelty and many advantages will appear fromfthe following description and claim when taken in connection with the annexed drawings, in which Figure 1, is a longitudinal, horizontal, sectional view of the draw-head with the coup ling jaws partly in section. Fig. 2,- is a similar View taken in a plane at right angles to Fig. 1. Fig. 3, is a perspective view of one of the coupling jaws and backing spring removed. Fig. 4, is a perspective view of the jaw operating cam. Fig. 5, is a perspective view of the coupling link. Fig. 6, is a perspective view of the cam shaft and lever and chains for manipulating the same.

Referring by letter to said drawingsz-A, indicates the draw head. This draw head may be mainly of any ordinary or approved construction, having the top and bottom walls at the mouth, flaring, as shown at a, to correspond with the bevel or flare in the outer ends of the coupling jaws as will presently appear.

B, indicates the coupling jaws. These jaws are of a peculiar construction, being curved for the greater portion of their length as shown, and their outer ends extend laterally as at b, and in the rear of the latter extensions, they are provided with a recess 0, the flange or wall d, of which serves as a stop when brought in contactwith the outer sides of the draw head to limit the inward movements of said jaws. The outer ends of the jaws are beveled on their outer sides as shown at e, so as to guide and facilitate the entrance of the coupling link into the draw-head. The jaws are provided on their inner sides near their outer ends with shouldersf, which may be undercut as shown to serve more efiectively. in holding the barbed head of the link as will be presently described. Each jaw is provided at its inner end with a recess or cutaway portion g, the recess of one jaw being on the upper side, while that of the other jaw is on the under side, so that they may be made to engage one another in an overlapping manner, and they are pivotally connected together at this point, and to the draw head, by means of a vertical bolt or pin h.

0, indicates aspiral spring; there being one provided within the draw head on the outer side of each jaw, so as to keep their forward ends normally pressed toward each other. These springs are preferably arranged in recesses 2', in the jaws so as to bear at their opposite ends against the side walls of the drawhead.

The draw-head is provided in its throat, and in its top and bottom walls at opposite points, with longitudinally-disposed recesses j, which are interrupted bya shoulder 7a,leaving the bottom walls of the recesses straight or approximately so.

D, indicates a cam, which is designed to open the jaws in disengaging thesame from the coupling link. This cam is pivoted or journaled in the draw-head between the spring-backed coupling jaws, and is of a form, substantially as shown in Fig. 4C, of the drawings, having two flat or straight walls Z, and two beveled ends m. The cam is preferably provided with a central, vertical, angular aperture n, and receives a shaft E. This shaft takes through an aperture in the top of the draw-head and is headed as shown at 19, so as to stay the same in position, and the shaft is angular in cross-section where it takes through the aperture n, of the cam, as shown at q, and is of a circular form in cross section, where it takes through the bottom wall of the draw head as shown at r,- across pins, or other suitable device being employed to prevent the shaft from lifting out of the aperture, the head 19, preventing it from falling down through the apertures. end of the shaft E, and beneath the draw head, is rigidly secured a cross-bar or lever F. This cross-bar or lever when the jaws are closed assumes a position transverse or approximately so with respect to the "drawhead, and on opposite ends of this lever are attached chains G, or other suitable devices On the lower for manipulating the shaft and cam thereof. These chains may extend to the sides of the car, and may have attached to them a hand lever, so as to avoid the dangerous and obj ectionable necessity of going between the cars to uncouple them; it being simply necessary to grasp the lever, to which the chains are attached and manipulate them from the sides of the car. In some cases, suitable devices might be employed in connection with these chains, for operating the cam from the top of the car, and I have not shown the hand lever in the present illustration, for the reason that I do not wish to confine myself to any particular means for operating the cam.

By reason of the cam being beveled on opposite ends, and the jaws being curved on their inner sides, it will be seen that said jaws may be forced apartquickly and with but little exertion.

H, indicates the coupling link. This link is also of a peculiar construction, being of an approximately flat contour. This link has an arrow head or lateral barbs at each end, which are formed by an under-cut t, extending down the sides, as shown, and the ends of the link are reduced and beveled as shown at u,being of a greater height in the body portion than at the ends, and the widened portions are extended beyond the barbs or undercut as shown at o. By this construction it will be seen that the link will readily enter between the looking jaws, which will quickly engage it and by reason of the recesses j, in the top and bottom Walls of the draw-head, and the coupling link snugly engaging therein, the outer or free end of the link will be prevented from falling down or sagging when two cars are approaching to be coupled.

Within the draw head to one side of and in rear of the cam shaft, is a stop I, which is designed to limit the turning movement of the cam, when the same has been operated, so as to hold the coupling jaws in an open position.

A coupling constructed as described can be produced at a comparatively small expense. It will be found very effective in operation and can be applied to new cars or to cars at present in use.

The draw-head being provided with the usual pin apertures in its top and bottom walls, it is obvious that the link and pin coupling can be used when found desirable.

Having described my invention, what I claim is- The car coupling herein described comprising the draw head having the top and bottom walls beveled at their outer ends and the longitudinally disposed recesses j, and shoulders 7a, in its throat, the two jaws B, pivotally connected at their inner ends with the draw head and having their outer ends beveled and provided on their inner sides with the shouldersfiand on their outer sides with the recesses c, and flanges d, springs interposed between the jaws and the side walls of the draw head, the cam arranged between the jaws within the draw head and fixed on a shaft extending through the draw head, and the link H, having the arrow head or lateral barbs at each end and also having its ends reduced and beveled and of a less height than its body portion, all substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JEROME S. CORNISH.

Witnesses:

CHAS. HARDIE, J 1-,, D. W. TOBIN. 

